And In the End
by fiona d
Summary: When Daryl's time is up, he doesn't have to go alone. (Warning: Character death.)


**I'm still upset over the midseason finale. Not as bereft as I was when it first aired, but still angry and sad. This fic is a little sad (but not angry) as a result. Or maybe a lot sad, depending on your view. Hopefully, people find it a little sweet, as well. **

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><p><em>And in the end,<em>

_The love you take_

_Is equal to the love you make._

- Lennon/McCartney

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><p>Daryl Dixon wasn't the last man standing. She ended up being wrong about that. That, but not much else. She was right that he had to put things away, or they'd kill him. That she'd be gone one day. That there were still good people in the world.<p>

That he'd miss her so bad when she was gone.

But when it was his time, there were others still around. Rick and his kids got away. He saw his adopted brother slip over the wall after making sure Carl and Little Ass Kicker got out. Michonne had been right next to him, as she always was. Maggie and her daughter were in a safe zone near the Canadian border with Sasha and Tara. Noah was with his mother and Father Gabriel in Richmond.

Others weren't so lucky. Tyreese fell protecting Judith from a walker. Carol disappeared soon after that. She'd been acting stranger and stranger since the hospital. Erratic, Tyreese had murmured to him in concern, a couple nights before he died. Once Tyreese went, she shut down. He was still trying to figure out a way to help her when they woke up and she was gone. Slipped away in the middle of the night. He tried to track her, but her tracks went straight to a river and he couldn't pick 'em back up. He supposed it was possible she was still kicking, but somewhere deep down, he knew she wasn't.

Eugene died on their way to Richmond. Stumbled into pit full of walkers and that was that. Rosita and Abraham went together. They did meet some good people along the way, but that didn't mean they didn't come across a whole lot of awful people, too. There was a bad group in Virginia. They got the drop on 'em and tried to bargain for the group's life, saying they'd let them all go if they could take Rosita. Abraham had tried to take them all on at that, and they'd quickly put a bullet in his brain. Rosita said it was okay, she'd go with them, despite everyone protesting. She told the group taking her she needed to see her people get away clean, so they gave them safe passage, and then once they were clear, from a distance, they saw her grab one of her captors guns and shoot herself in the head.

And Glenn… Daryl couldn't discuss Glenn. Couldn't think about it, not ever. Hurt almost as much as losing Beth. Was uglier, filled him with more rage. No, he couldn't bear to think about how Glenn went out.

But it was Daryl's turn now. He lay in the dirt, bleeding out from a gut shot. Rick'd tried to carry him, but they both knew he was dead this time. No coming back from this.

"Hey."

He smiled at her soft voice and opened his eyes. Hadn't realized he'd closed them.

"Beth." She stood in front of him, looking just like she did that night in the moonshine shack. He never in his life saw anything as pretty before he met her, and he sure as hell hadn't since. She smiled at him and it was all he ever wanted.

She knelt next to him and grasped his hand in hers. That was strange. This wasn't the first time he saw her since she died. He hadn't mentioned it to anyone else because he knew it was crazy and didn't need anyone giving him funny looks confirming the fact. He'd see her in the evenings, sitting across the fire, or at daybreak, roaming in the woods. He'd see her walking alongside Maggie, or soothing Judy when she was fussy. Sometimes, she'd lay down next to him at night and hum a song. But she never spoke to him before. Never touched him.

"It's almost time," she said.

"Time for what?" he mumbled. He was so tired. Thought he'd be in more pain, but that all seemed to leave him when he saw her. Now, he just wanted to sleep.

He felt a soft hand stroking his hair. "Time for you to come home."

Home. What did she mean? "Farm?" he asked.

"If you want." Her hand in his was cool and soft. The other cupped his cheek. "Anywhere, really. Could go back to the prison. The funeral home. Where you grew up. Wherever you want."

"Just wanna be with you."

"You will be. You just gotta do one last thing."

He wanted to sleep so bad, but he didn't want to lose her. "What's that?"

She squeezed his hand. "You know."

He did, but he finally had her. He couldn't give her up after all this time.

She must have read his mind. "I'll be right here waitin' for you, Daryl. I've been right here all along."

He opened his eyes one last time. He saw the bastards that broke through the wall around the school they'd holed up in. They were fighting the walkers that their gunfire had drawn to the place. He hoped every last one of 'em died. There was a fire burning across the yard. Everything was smoke and chaos and noise.

Beth shifted so that she was right in front of him, blocking out all that ugliness. She smiled her soft, sweet smile at him and he knew everything would be okay.

He raised her hand to his lips, and kissed it.

He raised his gun to his chin, and pulled the trigger.


End file.
